deca RESTAURANT + BAR

We love rooftops and a good ambience, especially on a nice summer night. The views Deca at Ritz looked great so my 2 friends and I decided to go there for dinner and drinks.
From the minute we sat down, David, our waiter, was acting very strange. He came up cracking jokes that we were kind of like «huh?». While we were debating between a couple of choices for drinks, he disappeared in the middle of us ordering. When he came back, we placed an order (asking if he could add raspberries to our sangria (he said no problem) and asked for a full menu and water. He looked at us like a deer in the headlight and informed us that he was not a busboy! (I suppose it was in reference to the water). An interesting start.
When sangria arrived (with just 2 glasses for 3 of us, no raspberries), he asked us if we decided on food. Hmmm, no, we’re still waiting on that menu!
Eventually we ordered steak (medium-​rare) and some shrimp. David insisted that we get a seafood tower. He seemed pushy and he got his way… Steak was a good quality but medium at best if not medium-​well, seafood tower — ok, but not very impressive, lobster was not tender at all.
At some point David grabbed my glass wanting to fill it with ice, I said I was ok on ice, however, if he can, please, pour more sangria, I would appreciate it. He pointed to the pitcher and said: «it’s right there»… and left. We were pretty disgusted with the service and he, possibly sensing it, stayed away from our table the rest of the night (perhaps, for the better).
I never get into how my bf tips the staff, knowing that he’s a good tipper. I actually asked him last night not to leave a tip, that’s how disappointed I was with the service! Btw, I don’t know if he did or didn’t, he he did tell the waiter that the service was bad before we left.
Al-​in-​all, it’s extremely unlikely that we’d be back. There are other places with good views and better food for the money. As for the service, the hole in the wall place next door to my house has a better service than that!

I went here recently for my best friend’s birthday and I fell in love with this place the minute I walked in. It is so beautiful!!! I would love to check out the rooftop bar next time when it open. The food is delicious! I would have to say that they’ve the best Piña colada. Definitely must check out this restaurant. Cannot wait to come back.

The meatball skewers and the pretzel bites are excellent! Highly recommend.
Even though the bar area was crowded the noise level was under control. No shouting necessary!
We just missed happy hour so I ordered the Cottonball cocktail. While the drink was strong, the flavor/​taste was just ok. My friend said the same thing about their drink. So while the cocktails at Deca might not be their strong suit, I will definitely go back for the $ 5.00 wine/​beer happy hour.
The service was good. In terms of atmosphere, it’s important to note the place is a tad bit dated, however, they’ve done a good job making it look contemporary.
There were a variety of folks at Deca: singles, couples, business folks, small groups, and families. For a drink and appetizers, prepare to spend about $ 35.00.

Although slightly overpriced ($ 21 for a classic Eggs Benedict), deca has great innovative food that tastes good and fresh time and time again. Their Eggs Benedict is one of my favorites I’ve had and their Prime Beef Burger ($ 21) is a hearty meal. However, it’s difficult to avoid Ritz prices at this place. All in all, worth it to go try it out at least once or twice!

Deca continues to do what it is supposed to…feed those in the hotel. But would this be a destination experience? Not in my book.
On this visit we went for brunch. The food was quite tasty (gotta love the warm bread loaf that was placed on the table almost as soon as we sat down) and the service from Emad, our server was stellar. And I also thought they did a great job of getting us the menu we wanted even though it was clear that they were moving on to lunch on this Saturday morning.
But it still just feels like a hotel restaurant to me. You sort of sit in the middle of the lobby. The fountain is nice, and oftentimes they have live music, but I still wouldn’t make this a destination unlessI was in the area and looking for a nice place to have a casual meal.

Good food and drinks, but nothing too special. Got falafel bites with yogurt, pita and vegetables with hummus, and pretzel bites. I’m vegan and they were very accommodating! They put the yogurt from the falafel on the side and made sure the pretzels were served without butter.
The ambiance was also obviously great. Very elegant yet chill.
Would come back!

As other reviewers have mentioned you are dining in the lobby of the hotel, however, without any space at the ground level that is going to be the logical location for a casual hotel restaurant. Service was excellent and my Salmon Burger was very good, but a little bland. I noticed that another sandwich had dilled yogurt on it so perhaps next time I will request that instead of having the the ginger vinaigrette that came with it. I was able to opt for a small salad in place of the fries or chips at no extra charge. This restaurant is a solid three and half stars.

Came in on a Saturday for lunch. I was seated and brought water and bread immediately. It took a while for a waiter to come by – 15 minutes and two pieces of bread later. Apologetic, a waiter took my shrimp and avocado salad order. When it came out the shrimp looked a bit underwhelming and that should have been a sign… Service was attentive for the rest of the experience, but I wasn’t well after the salad. Sorry Ritz, today was poor.

Deca is a go-​to for me and my family. We are always welcomed and personally greeted by the staff — we honestly feel like we are coming home! The food is incredible, and the service is even BETTER. If you’re looking to have a classic, chic, and low-​key evening, Deca has my vote!

Situated in the Ritz Carlton hotel on the 12^th floor, I cruised by for an after dinner cocktail and dessert. I opted for the The Second in Line which consisted of gin, ginger liqueur, grapefruit, and Revolution Anti-​Hero IPA. Pretty good and enjoyed that it wasn’t too sweet.
For dessert, we shared a Donut Sundae which was more picture worthy than anything else. The vanilla ice cream was nice and light, but the donut holes tasted pretty stale even with the whipped cream and blueberry compote smothered all over.
Overall, service was good and nothing less you would expect from a Ritz Carlton. Would probably pass on the dessert and just hit the bar for a nightcap. ‘Til next time, cheers!

Starting off by special thanks to Justine for helping me sort an expired Travelzoo voucher… was informed that Deca will honor the value $ 140 which was promotion. Cheers to that! We celebrated our daughters 8^th bday with a family lunch and such a perfect time! We ordered poached tuna, chicken milanese, jumbo crabcakes (by no means jumbo;) 2 cups of chicken noodle soup, cheese platter, falafel bites, oj for kids, prosecco for us and dessert was cookie sundae and hot chocolate fudge sundae.
The management was so generous to pick up all the extra food and drinks and we were charged for the dessert. My husband made sure to leave a generous tip on the whole value and we certainly will come back for the awesome hospitality.

After a long night of partying at the Ritz, I always wake up to Deca’s Benedict. I’m not sure if their slightly caramelized English muffins are made in-​house or who their supplier is, but for a bread loving baker, I give them my approval. –Especially paired with bites of roasted potatoes and pearl onions. Rich and decadent, I only order this once a year, but I always look forward to it when I crawl out of bed here.
Deca is fairly quiet in the morning. I can eat alone in peace as I read the paper and scroll my phone.
I wouldn’t come here if I weren’t a guest of the Ritz. I also wouldn’t come here for dinner. –It’s less than desirable to eat in what feels like the hotel lobby. But for an elevator ride from my room, it’s perfect for breakfast.

I have very mixed feelings about the bar at the Ritz. Obviously, it’s the Ritz, so it’s gotta be the best in town? As much as I want to steer on the side of Steve Buscemi and Boardwalk empire, I have to admit this Ritz has a long way to go towards being a true 5 star property.
LOST IN DECADES. The moment you enter, you notice a decadent fountain that is not fully functioning when you go around it, lots of gorgeous furniture mixed with odd 70’s outdated sofas and a bar that is well stocked, but way too small.
CAREFULLY PICKED WINES. I’ll give them this, the wines are very carefully selected and delicious. Matanza’s Creek Merlot from Sonoma is highly recommended by me, but keep in mind, I wouldn’t qualify as a wine snob.
MODERN ROOFTOP BAR. In a sharp contrast to the mixed interior, the rooftop bar is pretty sweet. Nice modern furniture, reminiscing of an Aloft or a W hotel. Seriously, when i say this spot is lost in decades, I am not kidding.
Sunday night, the whole place was nearly deserted, with only a couple folks sitting at the bar. If this was a smaller city, I would totally come back, but given that it’s Chicago, I’ll be searching for better options.

Such a cute restaurant/​bar/​rooftop at the Ritz. It’s located on the 12 floor, right next to the lobby (which is beautiful). We only had a cappuccino on a Saturday night with a couple of friends, so I can’t give a review on the actual food. However, service was excellent, the atmosphere was great, and the cappuccino was really good. They also have a really cute outdoor section, which is beautifully decorated. Definitely will be going back again to try the food.

We were enjoying a day of luxury on Michigan Avenue and thought we’d head to the rooftop bar at the Ritz for a drink. We hadn’t been here in a while, but our last visit more than a year ago was quite nice.
Imagine our surprise to find a rooftop full of un-​bused tables and no ambience. We grabbed menus and a rag from the top of the bar and wiped down a high-​top near the bar and waited. And waited. Nothing. No music playing in the background, no service. I looked down and noticed broken glass everywhere in the corner where we were seated. That was enough for us.
We alerted the two employees behind the bar to the broken glass as we left. Never again. There was nothing luxurious about the Ritz rooftop. I see that it’s now a Marriott property and not a Four Seasons. That may explain our experience.

This review is for the rooftop. Def a beautiful hotel and a beautiful rooftop with some cool lighting at night. Service tho no good. I went on a Saturday around seven and there wasn’t too many people there yet and my girls and I waited forever before a waitress came to see us. It was so long the first round was on them. The Diablo drink is delish and strong, worth the 14 bucks. After our first round more and more waiting. Finally we saw a different waiter and stopped him to tell him how long we been waiting. Second round free, two free drinks thank you. We took some lovely pics and enjoyed our second free drink. Finally saw our waitress and she did apologize. I just thought with the location being in the Ritz service would have been better.

Great service excellent food nice place to lounge plus they have an outside bar that’s new.
Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner I always enjoy my time here.

Have been here twice in two months (first time with Travelzoo). The rib eye is perfection. Service is great. Love the live music and a dining space where you can have an actual conversation without shouting over people.
Our favorites: scallops, rib eye, deca chocolate cake, lemon tart. The seafood tower is sadly underwhelming. With this being said, still a 5 star in my book.
If you are looking for something outside of the box, I would defin recommend!

Hands-​down my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I always get a three-​course dinner, and there is something very special about the composition of the meal: I leave feeling simply satisfied. Not stuffed, not hungry. It’s just perfect. Hard to describe, but it makes me happy.
Last time I visited, I ordered the special which included black truffle. You could sense from the server’s tone they were very excited about this dish there, and the chef actually came out of the kitchen when my plate arrived so that he could grate the truffle himself. It tasted amazing.
Such an underrated establishment, which I suppose works in my favor not having to fight for reservations. I don’t live in Chicago anymore, so when I go back to visit, Deca is always toward the top of my to-​do list.

I wasn’t that impressed and felt like I had way overpaid for an experience that was just «a-​ok».
I was dead-​set on having a traditional tea for my birthday. Unfortunately, my birthday is about a week before Christmas and I had waited too long to make a reservation. This was one of the only places still available.
I anticipated paying a lot for tea, but it was a crazy amount and I felt like the food was on par with any of the other places that charge ½ the price. The food was okay, the tea was okay. I don’t mind that the restaurant is in the middle of the lobby. I thought that it was great people-​watching. Some of their menu items looked intriguing but I was told that I couldn’t order any of them during tea time.
Next time, I will make sure I make reservations in advance so I can choose somewhere that will make me happier.

«Midwest» $ 28. I ordered over medium eggs. Received over easy. Restaurant management corrected the mistake. Chicken sausage was good.
«Three Egg Omelet» $ 21
Good.
Breakfast 2÷8÷15

Came for brunch on a Sunday. The space is large and beautiful. They have outdoor seating for warmer months which I may return for. The hostesses were friendly and the bus boy Michael was great. He pretty much did everything as we only saw our waiter twice. The waiter seemed rushed and a bit exasperated when I asked what came in the omelet and I only asked because the menu didn’t specify. The coffee is great. Very strong and flavorful. The food, however, was bland. I had the omelet with potatoes. My friend had the lox which she said was good. This was an ok experience, it left much to be desired. I prefer the brunch buffet at the Four Season or the Drake.

The outdoor space at the Ritz was long overdue. It’s a great spot for some outdoor drinks, a relaxed lunch, or relaxing after a long day.
Some of their drinks leave a lot to be desired, but if you know how to drink they you can just order what you normally order. Don’t be mislead by the specialty drink menu.
I’ve watched the Ritz Chicago transformation for many years, this is by far the best change yet.

Deca is not your normal Ritz Carlton bar. But then this is not your normal Ritz Carlton because as it is owned and operated by the four seasons. As a frequent resident of Ritz-​Carlton this place is not to Ritz-​Carlton standards. The wine list is not good and very limited, and the service was subpar. Our server was «Babs» who barely had time to acknowledge us.
Moreover Deca had a wedding and closed off much of the bar yesterdayWhat about those of us were paying to stay in the hotel? This was inconvenient.

Nothing says «hotel restaurant» better than placing it in the middle of the lobby with a terrific view of — the lobby. Hip vibe, trend-​setting crowd? – no one goes to a hotel restaurant for these (there are exceptions, but not Deca). So to be fair, you have to view this place as a member of its class – and Deca scores high on that basis. Comfortable surroundings? check. Really good service? check. Reduced noise level? check. Good selection of beverages? check. Decent food? check.
Wine by the glass starts at $ 11. The garden salad, nicely dressed in a vinaigrette, came with beets and avocado – the first time I ever came across these two favorites of mine in the same dish. Special of the day was a credible version of veal blanquette, a throwback to times past and slow-​cooking. It was tasty.
Service had Ritz-​Carlton written all over it, it was top of the line. What I really liked was how parties were seated at well-​spaced locations, so there was always a vacant table or two separating groups. Result, it was quiet, you could relax and have a conversation. There were hotel guests, seniors and families with well-​behaved kids. If you want a scene, head elsewhere; if you want to relax at dinner off Michigan Avenue, give Deca a try.

I came here for our 1 year anniversary dinner on Saturday evening with a travel zoo voucher that consisted of an appetizer, two entrees, and a dessert. So it would be a 4 stars with a voucher because of how much money we saved, but 3 stars is how I’m reviewing this restaurant because for a fine dining, it didn’t serve.
Our greeting from the host was wonderful, he was so friendly and was excited to have us seated. After being seated, our waiter did not introduce himself, was not aware of our voucher, and he was acting like he had to run to bathroom every single time he saw us. He didn’t introduce the menu or talk about any drinks or specials. My drink was not what I expected, it was way to sweet and wasn’t strong.
The food was fantastic. We started off with Squash Ravioli. I got the Filet Mignon and my husband got the Rack of Lamb. For dessert we shared Brulee. Flavors were ⁴⁄₅ for everything and presentation was perfect. Temperature of the food was all right and we didn’t wait long either. Our waiter only came around to take our order, ask how everything was once, and take our dessert order, and check. That was it. The bus boy did 99% of the work filling our waters, taking our plates, and smiling at us. I was surprised by the service.
I wouldn’t visit the Ritz Carlton again. The bar area is nice during the summer but the restaurant is nothing special.

My heart is broken because during lunch, I’d ordered the cranberry-​crusted rack of lamb and the friendly service came back after a while and shot that down. Was given the dinner menu by mistake. Hey, this 12^th floor rooftop is a nice slice of get the fuck away from me and I“m having it.
Funny guy behind the bar helped me get a nice glass of old world red, a delicious Chateauneuf de Pape before selecting the OTT Wagyu Burger. Over. The. Top. indeed. Tasty! Tender. (Check out my pic.)
Did I say how Georgeous this rooftop is?
Will mark it down for further and repeated summer review.

First off. I love this ritz. Lovely, quiet, classy & truly decadent ambiance. Not pretentious at all.
Started with the deca salad w a lemon truffle vinaigrette. Light citrus start to the meal ⁵⁄₅
then the shrimp cocktail w jicama salad. 4 giant shrimp w refreshing jicama paired perfectly. ⁵⁄₅
Lamb shank. Thursday entrée special. With a bordelaise sauce. Was rich & nicely balanced. Meat fell right off the bone and paired perfectly w the sauce. ⁵⁄₅
Scallops. 3 large perfectly prepared pieces.
Well balanced flavors & portion. ⁵⁄₅
Dessert was the lemon tart. Perfect creaminess to sweetness to tartness balance. Served w a few raspberries it was a perfect palate cleanser to the meal. ⁵⁄₅
Attentive, warm, and excellent service really made this meal memorable.
Thank you deca for our DECAdent Thursday evening dinner :)